Flann’s Yer Only Man – The Bare Bodkin Theatre Co. Production – 27 January to 7 February

Brian O’Nolan was a man of many names. He wrote a number of novels such as At Swim-Two-Birds and The Third Policeman under the guise of Flann O’Brien. He also had another alias as Myles na gCopaleen, under which he wrote a regular column in The Irish Times and an Irish language novel An Béal Bocht. He is considered to be one of the most gifted writers of his time, but his fame never rose to the level his talent deserved due to a combination of bad luck and his difficulties with alcohol. This complex and prolific writer is explored in this work by Val O’ Donnell.

The piece is described on Bare Bodkin’s own web site as ‘an entertainment’ and is not a play in the traditional sense. It takes the form of a humorous lecture with a number of vignettes and other tales brought to life with Val acting out the various scenes and taking on a number of characters. This work is just under two hours (with a short interval) which is surprisingly long for a work of this style, but it manages to hold the audiences attention throughout. Some segments work better than others and it may have been helped by some clever editing. It does not follow an obvious linear path through his life, but instead jumps from one topic to the next, often revisiting works that have already been mentioned or discussed.

The great benefit of this work is the wealth of material it has to explore. Flann was a fascinating and ultimately self destructive character, and to see his life played out is quite compelling. This is an interesting and witty insight into the life and works of Flann O’Brien, and easy viewing for ‘Flanoraks’ or those new to his work.

The Bare Bodkin Theatre Co. Production – 27 January to 7 February – at Theatre@36 Parnell Square. Find out more about the production on their website here. 

Bookings are at 086 8534205. Admission €12/10.(Preview on 27 January, €10)